Gov. Paul LePage today said he was sorry if his remarks aimed at Aroostook County Sen. Troy Jackson, a logger by profession, offended Maine loggers.

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Hear Gov. LePage's entire remarksOriginally Aired: 6/21/2013 1:30 PM

Duration:3:31

Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he's sorry for remarks he made yesterday about Maine loggers in his attack on state Sen. Troy Jackson - but he didn't apologize to Troy Jackson.

"It was never my intent to ever, ever suggest that the loggers of the state of Maine are in the same league as Troy Jackson," he said. Jackson is a logger from Aroostook County.

LePage told WMTW-TV reporter Paul Merrill Thursday that Jackson "claims to be for the people, but he's the first one to give it to the people without providing Vaseline."

"People like Troy Jackson - they ought to go back in woods and cut trees and let somebody with a brain come down here and do some work," he said. "He doesn't only have no brains," LePage went on to say. "He has a black heart. And so does the leadership upstairs."

"I do apologize for offending anyone," LePage told reporters today, "particularly the loggers, because, believe me, they are the backbone of this state. And I never thought for a second that they'd associate my comment to themselves, because I don't consider Troy Jackson in that categoy at all."

Jackson provided the Democratic response to LePage's promise to veto the state budget.

In issuing his apology, LePage told reporters he might not run for a second term as governor, even though he's raising money for the effort. LePage, a Republican, said he might instead run for 2nd District Congressman Mike Michaud's seat "because it can't be any worse in Washington than it is here."

Michaud, a Democrat, has announced that he's taken steps to make a run for the seat LePage now holds.To hear LePage's apology in its entirety, click the "Listen" button above.